Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1547305
48 he first had to know the original. So, his pearls were irregular, oddly proportioned, refinement gone loose and bodily and unresolved. His initial audience was largely queer customers in their 20s and 30s, whose support helped the entirely self-funded business grow. He remains determined not to alienate them, even as his work enters Bergdorf Goodman and expands from pearls into gemstones, cast metal, and stone-setting. Trunk shows remain an important part of that bridge — an opportunity to connect in real time with a customer base that is rediscovering the uncomplicated joy of choosing adornment in person. Growth has required Oldham to confront craft's central business problem: scarcity. At first, he could produce only two or three examples of each style. He now sources materials in Hong Kong, Japan, and New York; works with freelance artisans; and maintains substantial production at his upstate New York studio. The increased scale has not changed his fundamental process. His method is still heavily influenced by the materials he works with, as are his designs. Recognition has followed, including a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist placement, a CFDA Emerging Designer of the Year nomination, and a New York Fashion Week presentation. Yet Oldham's most persuasive achievement is the continuity between these different worlds. Whatever the context, he offers the same proposition: jewelry as joy. His years in acting and production have not disappeared but survive in the stage he constructs around every object. His family gave him craft as a language, but the voice is unmistakably his own: intimate, materially curious, and always ready for the spotlight. Presley's mood board. Compost belt (worn as necklace), $2,400. Beaded flower bodice. All jewelry at presleyoldham.com, Bergdorf Goodman. Worry Stone necklace, $950. Twig cuff in multi gemstone, $2,400. Rice Krispies necklace, $720. Dew Drop necklace, $480. Twig rings, $950. Sprout bracelet, $280.